In Brembo I Trust!

[jlburgess]

I just about got a face full of Honda rear bumper.  I was riding through an accident scene on the freeway at about 20 miles an hour on my Dorsoduro abs. I glanced over for a split second to make sure that the accident victims were okay and when I turned my head back around the car in front of me was dead stop and I was doing 20 miles per hour.

I was convinced I was going to smash into the back of the bumper except I had the front brake covered with three fingers as I usually do when I'm riding and instinctively grabbed the front brake lever so hard the front ABS kicked on and I stopped 3 inches short of the bumper.  I'm posting this so other people might benefit from learning to cover the front brake because the time it took to move my fingers to the brake lever would have been too late. got lucky! 

[roofus]

Cover your brakes and don't rubberneck! 

[jlburgess]

Good point!  It was amazing how quickly it all went wrong even at 20 mph on clean pavement.

[Buddy Shagmore]

Gotta love ABS in a panic sitch like that. They did their magic and saved you.

[Idontwantapickle]

I'm glad you were prepared! Covering the brake is a good idea all of the time and it sure paid off for you today. 

Hunter

[Gliderjohn]

ABS is great IMHO. Most of us are not skilled enough or are able to practice enough UNDER ALL CONDITIONS to be anywhere near as proficient as the ABS system. Both my bikes have it, my Norge and my T-3 ( because it is almost impossible to apply enough pressure to the  hand brake lever to lock up the front tire). Even the rear brake and left front together from the foot pedal require a hell of a stomp and I even have steel brake lines.
GliderJohn

[yackee]

That's the one thing I don't like about the linked brakes on my T-3 -- it is difficult to "cover" the foot pedal because it requires me to keep my foot tilted off the peg at a funny angle. With the hand brake, you can obviously keep your fingers on the lever, actuating the brakes almost instantly.I figure it takes me a second or so to lift my foot and stomp on the foot lever, and that makes me a bit nervous in situations like the one the original poster describes, where a second of reaction time might make a big difference in the outcome.

[redrider]

Braking skill is a learned art. 1) Glad it worked out for you. 2) What about the person behind you-what are they capable of? 3) A momentary lapse of awareness seems to be the spark that starts the chain reaction.

[jlburgess]

So how did you end up with Brembo brakes on that bike?  A pricey mod?

They are stock on the Dorso, but they have an Aprilia logo.  The ABS came out in 2014 and Is nicely packaged in a chin spoiler under the radiator.  I tested it out on a road near the beach once.  I rode into the sand at 25 mph and hit both brakes.  It was amazing how quickly it stopped without any drama.  Having gone down once on my Griso after locking the front on some pea gravel really makes the system appreciated!

[flip]

So how did you end up with Brembo brakes on that bike?  A pricey mod?

They are stock on the Dorso, but they have an Aprilia logo.

That's interesting. Would you mind sharing where you found this information?

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Aw gimme a brake.

[jlburgess]

Hmm, my bad.  Looks like only the Factory edition has Brembos.  I was fooled by the gold paint.  I want a refund! 

[Two Checks]

That's the one thing I don't like about the linked brakes on my T-3 -- it is difficult to "cover" the foot pedal because it requires me to keep my foot tilted off the peg at a funny angle. With the hand brake, you can obviously keep your fingers on the lever, actuating the brakes almost instantly.I figure it takes me a second or so to lift my foot and stomp on the foot lever, and that makes me a bit nervous in situations like the one the original poster describes, where a second of reaction time might make a big difference in the outcome.

I'll bet the brakes on your car are linked and you don't cover the pedal...

[Doug McLaren]

A quick brake test for me whilst out riding my Ducati last Sunday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-W6EZLEpik

[jlburgess]

A quick brake test for me whilst out riding my Ducati last Sunday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-W6EZLEpik

If you both hadn't been on the wrong side of the road that wouldn't have happened 

[Doug McLaren]

Well I'll be a cowboys horse ! So that's where I've been going wrong all these years.

[zedXmick]

Just another vote in favor of ABS in the real world of motorcycling. I posted this on another site of my latest panic situation. I have had ABS on my C14 and now on my VFR. Deer here in Wisconsin are like mosquito's...(everywhere)

Just a story about motorcycle ABS brakes..I have them on the VFR1200. They have saved my life 5 times in panic (4 deer) (one car) situations. The last deer (huge buck) save was this past Monday...riding some great backroad switchbacks coming down a steep hill been riding on off thru rain/wet roads for about an hour.... I was doing 60mph and the buck decides to play frogger from my right,well I grabbed a handful of front brake AND stomped on my rear brake lever with my right foot. The (VFR has linked brakes) motorcycle came to a complete stop...no muss no fuss..... now that was impressive....full panic stop...right now....with a buck comming at you like a missle on radar lock.
All this happened in mere seconds....and yes time did slow down....It was like slow motion....that's when You know it's a CLOSE call. ABS works in the real world....it's not just some sales gimmick....

[rodekyll]

That's the one thing I don't like about the linked brakes on my T-3 -- it is difficult to "cover" the foot pedal because it requires me to keep my foot tilted off the peg at a funny angle. With the hand brake, you can obviously keep your fingers on the lever, actuating the brakes almost instantly.I figure it takes me a second or so to lift my foot and stomp on the foot lever, and that makes me a bit nervous in situations like the one the original poster describes, where a second of reaction time might make a big difference in the outcome.

Linked brakes work no differently than unlinked -- the handlebar still does the front brake and 'covering it' has the same effect.  The pedal still does the rear brake.  The only difference is that when you use the foot pedal you also get the other front brake.

[vstevens]

good ending and great endorsement of ABS!

Some years ago, I locked up the front wheel of my BMW K100 while going too fast... a car pulled out in front of me and I had to stop FAST.  After skidding sideways down the freeway, I managed to feather the brakes enough to 'right' the beast.  Took the next exit, got off the bike and sat on the side of the road contemplating eternity.  ABS would have been welcome in that situation.  Sold the bike and didn't ride for many years afterward. 

[Moto]

It also helps not to follow too closely. I'm a constant annoyance to others because I leave so much space in front. But I'm so relaxed!

[O]

It also helps not to follow too closely. I'm a constant annoyance to others because I leave so much space in front. But I'm so relaxed!

Yup, me too.  I like some distance between me and the person in front.  If the person behind me doesn't like it, TFB.

[moltoguzzi]

I'm glad you posted this. As a former highway patrol officer I witnessed too many rear endings from exactly what happened to you. Sometimes there is a delayed reaction from the driver that just drove past and they brake hard as they look back.
Glad you had ABS.

[gearman]

ABS is great IMHO. Most of us are not skilled enough or are able to practice enough UNDER ALL CONDITIONS to be anywhere near as proficient as the ABS system. Both my bikes have it, my Norge and my T-3 ( because it is almost impossible to apply enough pressure to the  hand brake lever to lock up the front tire). Even the rear brake and left front together from the foot pedal require a hell of a stomp and I even have steel brake lines.
GliderJohn

How did you get abs on a t-3. ?